Motto: „And Motto: „And the oakthe oak of my people of my people lifts today lifts today Its dark forehead and fresh leaves” Its dark forehead and fresh leaves”

Mihai EminescuMihai Eminescu

O long cultural tradition turned this tree into a O long cultural tradition turned this tree into a symbol of physical strength and endurance. With its symbol of physical strength and endurance. With its roots deep into the ground and its top up among the roots deep into the ground and its top up among the stars, stars, oaksoaks presented to the humans as a tree presented to the humans as a tree providing communication between three worlds: providing communication between three worlds: subterranean, terrestrial and celestial.subterranean, terrestrial and celestial.

OaksOaks are a human metaphor for the man are a human metaphor for the man fighting against fate, an allegory of its moral fighting against fate, an allegory of its moral verticality. Witness of so many individual existences, verticality. Witness of so many individual existences, it signifies the permanence and continuity of life and it signifies the permanence and continuity of life and facts, as personification of Romanian national ideals.facts, as personification of Romanian national ideals.

OaksOaks are the most are the most important and sacred important and sacred

trees for the Romanians.trees for the Romanians.Our ancestors often used Our ancestors often used to settle under this tree. to settle under this tree.

With its impressive size, it With its impressive size, it represents the longevity represents the longevity and the strength to resist and the strength to resist

any adversity in time.any adversity in time.

In a Romanian western village In a Romanian western village there is a story of a teacher. 91 there is a story of a teacher. 91 years ago, upon the birth of a years ago, upon the birth of a Romanian king, he wished to Romanian king, he wished to plant an plant an oakoak. Upon the end of . Upon the end of World War II, the communist World War II, the communist regime proposed the clearing of regime proposed the clearing of the square where the the square where the oak oak was was planted. They failed, as the planted. They failed, as the people of that time surrounded people of that time surrounded and guarded it for 10 years until and guarded it for 10 years until the the oak oak got deep roots... got deep roots...

Still in that period, the officers’ Still in that period, the officers’ uniform had an uniform had an oak leaf oak leaf and the royal crown and the royal crown on their military hat. The hat peak was plain on their military hat. The hat peak was plain for the lower officers and adorned with brass for the lower officers and adorned with brass oak leaves, for upper officers.oak leaves, for upper officers.

The ground troops generals had the The ground troops generals had the so-called “general’s sun” – a silver insignia so-called “general’s sun” – a silver insignia with sun rays and a 5-corner star – and a hat with sun rays and a 5-corner star – and a hat peak with two layers of oak leaves. peak with two layers of oak leaves.

Nowadays, generals or admirals of the Nowadays, generals or admirals of the Armed Forces have on their peak with two Armed Forces have on their peak with two layers of layers of oak leaves oak leaves made of gold-plated made of gold-plated metal while lower officers have one layer of metal while lower officers have one layer of oak leaves made of gold-plated metal.oak leaves made of gold-plated metal.

Romanian Romanian national national

rugby team rugby team has has the oak the oak leafleaf as their as their

insignia.insignia.

Oaks Oaks symbolize greatness, strength, longevity, symbolize greatness, strength, longevity, spiritual and material greatness, moral and physical spiritual and material greatness, moral and physical strength, source of wisdom, life, happiness and strength, source of wisdom, life, happiness and prosperity. Its thick branches and leaves show prosperity. Its thick branches and leaves show hospitality, the collective united in thought and deed.hospitality, the collective united in thought and deed.

Its green leaves signify the spring, fertility, Its green leaves signify the spring, fertility, harmony, freshness and has a strong emotional harmony, freshness and has a strong emotional correspondence to safety, stability and resilience.correspondence to safety, stability and resilience.

Each great Each great oakoak starts with a few acorns deeply starts with a few acorns deeply rooted in the ground. The seeds of this symbol are rooted in the ground. The seeds of this symbol are already there, in our culture and being. All we have to do already there, in our culture and being. All we have to do is plant and cultivate them to later harvest the fruit.is plant and cultivate them to later harvest the fruit.

A well known folk chorus says:A well known folk chorus says: “ “A joyful Romanian is like A joyful Romanian is like an oak an oak in bloom, in bloom, A loved Romanian is like A loved Romanian is like a green oaka green oak""